Metal lamp shade



a 1943. o. H. WILLIAMS 2,308,462

METAL BAM'P SHADE Filed June 5, 1940 Patented Jan. 12, 1943 umrso Sm TENQFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to lamp shades and more particularly to animproved lamp shade structure and novel method of manufacturing thesame.

In the present modes of lamp styling, metal lamp shades comprising aplurality of louvers have become increasingly popular, and while thevarious individual lamp shade designs all have their individual designcharacteristics, yet a great many of the most popular designs on thepresent market are characterized by louvers in which the main body ofthe lamp is finished by painting or lacquering while the marginal edgeof an individual louver is finished in a contrasting manner, as, forexample, by chromium plating.

It will be appreciated that in the manufacture of lamps of this generalcharacter, the industry has been faced with rather serious manufacturingdifiiculties since it has heretofore been regarded as necessary to formeach individual metallic shape or louver of the lamp out of a singlepiece of metal and apply different ornamental surface coatings todifferent areas of the metal;

for example, it is frequently necessary to coat the main body of thelamp with a white enamel and to provide narrow chromium plated bandsadjacent the marginal edges of the metal. From a manufacturingstandpoint this has been a very difiicult procedure and has been veryexpensive, since some provision must necessarily be made to mask orotherwise protect the separate portions of the lamp while the finish isbeing applied to the other portions.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to providean improved ornamental louvered lamp structure wherein the portions ofthe lamp having contrasting surface finishes are individual and separatepieces which may be assembled after finishing to eliminate the necessityof masking any part of the work at any time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method ofmanufacture of louvered lamp shades comprising the steps of stamping,forming the sections of the lamp, assembling these sections, paintingthe entire lamp, separately forming ornamental auxiliary sections havinga contrasting ornamental surface finish, and thereafter applying theauxiliary sections and lockin these in position on the main body of thelamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide ornamental metal stripsadapted to be secured in predetermined position on a metal lamp shadeand to provide novel means to lock these strips in position on the lamp.

A further object of the invention is to provide an olTset retainingshoulder parallel with and adjacent the edges of metal lamp segments andto secure the flanged band in position on th marginal edge of the metalto enclose and conceal the edges of the metal.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring now more particularly to the drawmg:

Fig. 1 illustrates a characteristic type of metallic lamp shadeconstructed in accordance with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a lamp shade of modified design also constructed inaccordance with the principles of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 i a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the plane ofthe line 55 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a preformed metal band or stripconstructed in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure.

The lamp shades illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, may be regarded ascharacteristic louver lamp designs and are here illustrated to point outthe variety of individual designs in which the principles of thisinvention may be advantageously utilized. It will be noted that each ofthese lamps is composed of a lurality of metal shapes or louversegments, as, for example, the top H] and louver sections H and I2 ofthe lamp illustrated in Fig. l, or the top [3, end portions M and louversections l5 of the lamp illustrated in Fig. 2. Each of the lamps has asimilar characteristic, however, in that each is provided with aplurality of relatively long and narrow ornamental bands It to enhancethe appearance of the lamp structure. tomary to apply contrastingornamental surface coatings to these bands IE to improve the generalappearance of the design and to bring out desirable contrast betweenthese bands I6 and the metal areas H], H, l2, l3, l4 and 15. Variouscontrasting finishes are used in the art, but usually the areas IE! toI5, inclusive, are finished with enamel, lacquer or suitable paint whilethe bands It are silvered or chromium plated.

It may be pointed out at this point that the metal shapes ii] to I5,inclusive, are customarily fabricated by stamping a blank out of flatsheet metal and drawing the edges of this blank downwardly at the edges,as, for example, as illustrated at I! in .Fig. 3, to producethree-dimensional metal shapes which may be thereafter welded to In thepresent state of the art it is cusgether to form the complete lamp. Whenthis forming operation takes place, however, it will be understood thatthe outer edges I8 of the metal may be somewhat irregular and rough,particularly on curved portions of the shape, and will invariably bequite sharp unless some steps have been taken to remove the sharpnessafter the metal blanks have been sheared from the continuous sheet ofmetal. This is an expensive operation and shouldbe avoided if possible.In addition to this it should be understood that it is an extremelyexpensive operation to apply a paint or similar finish to the main bodyof the lamp shape and to apply chromium plating to other portions. Froma design standpoint, however, it is highly desirable that the portion I6be brightly plated in order to give the proper' appearance to thecompleted lamp.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties and provides aconvenient and extremely economical way to produce lamps styledaccording to the preferred trend and yet adapted to rapid and economicalmanufacture. To accomplish this a relatively thin and narrow metal band2| is fitted over the bands It and is provided with a pair of opposedflanges 22 and 23 along each of its opposite edges. An offset retainingshoulder 24 is provided in the metal shape at a point adjacent to andparallel with the sharp edge l8 of the metal in order that the band 2|may be positioned with the flange 22 interlocked against the retainingshoulder 24 and the flange 23 enclosing and covering the sharp edge i8.

Preferably, the band 2| is provided with a polished or plated surface topresent an attractive contrast with respect to the painted surface ofthe lamp, but it i contemplated that other types of ornamental surfacesmay be used and that the band 2| may b utilized even in situations wherea color contrast is not desired, since it provides an effective shieldfor the sharp sheared edge l8 of the metal and may be formed and appliedto cover any wrinkles or irregularities along this edge and to present asmooth, rounded marginal surface on each of the segments of the lamp.

By examination of Fig; 4, it will be noted that the offset shoulder 24aneed not necessarily be formed exactly as illustrated in Fig. 3, but maybe of any other configuration since it is only necessary that it be insufficiently close proximity to the edge I811 so that the flanges 22aand 23a may interlock between the shoulder 24 and the edge l8 of themetal. The interlocking action of these flanges is effective to retainthe strips 2| against transverse movement, but to completely lock thestrips 2|, it is desirable to provide tab portions 26 at the ends of thestrips 2!, which may be bent around the edges of the metal of the lampshade, as illustrated in Fig. 5. It is contemplated, of course, thatother retaining means may be substituted for the tabs 26, but thisarrangement has been found to be particularly advantageous since it isextremely economical, and since the smooth exterior plated surface ofthe band 2| is not marked in any way as might be the case in the eventthat it was secured in position by screws, rivets or spot welding.

To facilitate easy and neat assembly of the lamps itis contemplated thatthe strips 2| may be pre-formed to correspond exactly with thedimensions of the shape to which they are to be applied (see Fig. 6). Itis not regarded as essential that this be done in all instances, but itis pointed out that if the strips 2| are thus preformed the chromiumplating or other ornamental surface will not be bent after the surfacefinish is applied.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that by practicingthe principles of this invention modern streamline, louvered lamps maybe produced at a manufacturing cost far below the costs heretoforeregarded as minimum, since the entire lamp shade may be assembled andpainted as a complete unit, as, for example by spraying or dipping ascontrasted to the elaborate masking or shielding heretofore used in theart.

It is also pointed out that additional economies of manufacture may beaccomplished by the practice of this invention, since it is urmecessaryto correct any irregularities or roughness that may be formed along theedge |8 during the forming operation for the reason that this edge I8 iscompletely and smoothly enclosed by the strip 2|.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the inventionin accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, I am aware,however, that it is subject to numerous variations and modifications,and, therefore, wish the scope of the invention to be considered aslimited only by the appended claim.

I claim:

A metal lamp shade comprising a three-dimensional sheet metal shapehaving a marginal rim portion defined by an offset retaining shoulderadjacent and parallel to the marginal edges of the metal, a surfacecoating on all of the exterior surfaces of said metal shape, and a metalband coextensive with the aforementioned marginal rim portion andsecured thereto, said metal band including an edge flange ininterlocking relationship with the retaining shoulder, a second edgeflange covering and in interlocking relationship With the marginal edgeof the metal shape, and tabs at each end of the band interlocked withthe said metalshape to secure the band in position.

OLIVER H. WILLIAMS.

